Uttaradit is located in the North of Thailand bordering Laos, Uttaradit has a long history dating back to pre-historic times. The site of the "modern" town, then called Bang Pho Tha It, was located on the right bank of the Nan River during the Dvaravati or Lavo periods, prior to Lanna and Sukhothai, when it flourished as a commercial port until King Rama V elevated its status into a province and re-named it Uttaradit, literally "the Port of the North". Uttaradit, which literally means "the Port of the North" has a long history of commercial importance. Today, the city is a naturally beautiful town and the province contains Queen Sirikit Dam, a 250 km² artificial lake, as well as the world's largest teak tree, which has stood for roughly 1500 years.